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Andrea Stella has been one of the most influential figures at McLaren across the last two seasons – but he did not always wish to be team principal.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown shared that Andrea Stella initially declined the offer to become team principal. Stella has been recognized for his significant role in McLaren’s resurgence in recent years, leading to a constructors’ championship win last season. Joining McLaren in 2015 after a long period at Ferrari, Stella eventually assumed the position of team principal in 2023 after Brown’s earlier attempts to appoint him were rebuffed. Despite Brown’s belief in his readiness, Stella had reservations about taking on the role previously. Stella’s leadership navigated McLaren through a challenging start in 2023, followed by a successful development phase resulting in title glory. Brown commended Stella’s swift and courageous decisions, including pre-empting a tough start to the season, ultimately guiding McLaren to success through strategic management and team execution.
